10 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



marrow in your bones. But it is essential that 

 you rise before light, and if you are a born tur- 

 key hunter you will soon forget the discomforts. 

 It has been my custom, when intending to go 

 turkey hunting, never to hesitate a moment, but, 

 on awakening in the morning, bound out of bed 

 at once and dress as soon as possible. It has 

 also been my custom to calculate the distance 

 I am to go, so as to reach the turkey range by the 

 time or a little before day breaks. I have fre- 

 quently risen at one or two o'clock in the morn- 

 ing and ridden twelve miles or more before day- 

 break for the chance to kill an old gobbler. 



Early morning from the break of day until 

 nine o'clock is the very best time during the 

 whole day to get turkeys ; but the half hour after 

 daybreak is really worth all the rest of the day; 

 this is the time when everything chimes with the 

 new-born day; all life is on the move; diurnal 

 tribes awakening from night's repose are coming 

 into action, while nocturnal creatures are seeking 

 their retreats. Hence at this hour there is a 

 conglomeration of animal life and a babel of 

 mingled sounds not heard at any other time of 



